As a Board of Education member, we have the great responsibility of educating our students. By extension, we must make sure our children are being cared for outside the walls of our schools as well.
When the pandemic hit and our students were removed from the classroom environment to distance learning, one of the first things I was concerned about was how to feed everyone. Our New London Public Schools food service program did not skip a beat. They simply adjusted from in-school distribution of food, to having parents and guardians pick up meals at various schools, and eventually going directly into neighborhoods to deliver food.
This was not easy an easy task, took a tremendous amount of planning, and required relentless effort every day of the week. I had the opportunity to go into various neighborhoods around the city and deliver food for several months with other volunteers, teachers, administrators, and leaders within our community. I will always appreciate the thanks that all of us received from parents, caregivers, and many students as well.
“School Meals on Wheels” began as a struggle in the snow and later became a battle with the relentless heat of the summer, but the team made it happen. And they are a team with each and every member playing their part. In my view, they are all heroes.
This effort to feed our students was worth it. It is what New London is all about. We are a community, and together we support each other.
Go Whalers!
Submitted by Brian Doughty on Oct 14, 2020